Friday, March 31, 2006

Justice, the Saudi Style

Ali Al Ramadhan, owner of a restaurant in Qateef, where two girls has worked for only four hours about a year and a half ago, was sentenced with 90 lashes for "violation of morals and honor," Abir Jaber, a reporter for Asharq Al-Awsat, wrote on her blog (Arabic). This is unfair and unacceptable. The owner did not violate the labor law when he employed the two girls. If the judge thinks the owner has violated the so-called morals and honor then he could tell him to behave, not to lash him in public. Al Ramadhan went to the court to finish the paperwork for the lawsuit when the judge asked him for a private meeting, and told him the sentence. No lawyer, no witnesses, no trial, no nothing! Justice, the Saudi style. What I really want to know is: who the hell sued the man in the name of what law, and what kind of judge is this to accept the lawsuit and pass such a sentence?

I think King Abdullah will have to step in once again and stop this nonsense. He has to interfere in this case, as he has done in several cases before, not just to save the innocent man, but also to support his position on women's rights. #»